An Atlas That Navigates the Stories of Amazonian Fisheries

An Atlas That Navigates the Stories of Amazonian Fisheries
June 10, 2025 Gabriela Merizalderubio
June 10, 2025

From the Amazon Waters Alliance, we present the Atlas of Fisheries Experiences, a tool that brings together real stories of participatory fishery management from across the Amazon Basin. This Atlas highlights experiences led by Indigenous and riverine communities that, in the face of many challenges, have combined ancestral knowledge with science, organization, and local technologies to conserve the fish and rivers they depend on.

Conservando la Cuenca Amazónica Aguas Amazonicas

Fotografía: © Sofía Lazarte / Aguas Amazónicas

More than an economic activity, fishing in the Amazon is nourishment, culture, and a livelihood. In this, the largest river basin on Earth, migratory fish travel astonishing distances. The dorado (Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii), for example, completes a round-trip journey of over 11,000 kilometers, connecting countries and peoples along the rivers.

In the Atlas, you’ll find stories like that of the community-based management of the paiche (Arapaima gigas) in northern Brazil, which has helped recover its populations, strengthen local monitoring, and improve family incomes. You’ll also learn how the international recognition of the dorado and piramutaba as priority migratory species has driven conservation efforts at a regional scale.

Each story shared in this Atlas reflects a key principle: without the active participation of Amazonian communities, it is not possible to conserve this unique biome. These voices and ways of knowing are essential to sustaining the life that flows through the rivers and ensuring a future where biodiversity and well-being go hand in hand.